Kelly hoping for better luck

It would be fairly typical of Niall Kelly’s year if a heavy knock suffered in a training match last weekend were to rule him out of Kildare’s Leinster quarter-final against Louth on Sunday.

The Athy youngster burst onto the national scene along with a host of other U21s with his brilliant performances in last year’s league in particular. He ended the year with a hip injury though and hip arthroscopy surgery ruled him out of the league campaign this term, and the county’s U21 championship defeat to Offaly.

“I came through last year okay,” reveals Kelly. “Towards the end of the year, it was at me and I said if I didn’t get it done then, I might not get through this year unscathed.”

Kelly is aware expectations in Kildare are not always grounded but while players can be weighed down by that burden, he says “You just have to take it on the chin.”

“You try and set short-term goals as much as possible. I’d have long-term goals in the background but it could be as small as the next training session. There has been an emphasis over the last few years on goal-setting in football. It is a massive part of it. I think I’ve benefited from it anyway.”